Just had to weigh-in on this one. A few weeks ago I installed a set of Bilstein Comforts on my 1986 420 SEL. To me, it was the best, dollar for dollar, suspension improvement I could have made. Not that the car rode terrible before, even though both left side original equipment shocks were covered in oil, but with the new Bilsteins it truly rides like a fine German touring sedan.

The final price to the consumer is a percentage of the manufacturing cost. So if a shock costs $20 to make, the wholesaler buys it for $30-$35 and sells it for something like double, or $60-$70.

If it costs $30 to make, the wholesaler pays $45 -52.50 and the consumer pays $90-$105.

So the consumer is paying $40 to $50 profit for the cheaper one and $60 to $70 for the item that costs just $10 more to manufacture.

If course, with a shock the major cost or pain in the butt is the labor to install it, which is exactly the same for a KYB as it is for a Bilstein. The company knows that the average car will be sold within 3 years and a good percentage of the purchasers that don't sell, will have lost the receipt, rendering the item much less likely to cost them anything for the warranty. In this case the extra money might easily be worth it, particularly if you tend to keep a car forever, (well, 5 to 12 years or more).

I can't say anything about KYB shocks, because I have never had any. I am very happy with the Bilstein HD's I installed at 120K on the 1990.

The rear suspension of my TE wagon is a lot harder when going over speedbumps than the 2.5 sedan. The load leveller works as it is supposed to, and on the highway both cars feel about the same: very stable and responsive.

KYB's are junk. They leak often, and sometimes real bad. They may have been good 20 years ago and still managing to live off reputation. You don't need to go all the way for Bilstein HD's though. You can get dealer shocks for a good price. They'll be made by Bilstein and/or Boge Sachs. Both are excellent quality shocks.

This thread got me got me thinking on replacing the shocks in my 94 C280. Bilstein lists both a HD and a SP for my car. Most of my driving is on the highway, and I like a smooth ride. What is the difference between these two shocks, and which should I get?

They are valved very close to the same. The primary difference is the Sports are for lowered suspensions and the HD's are for "stock". If you haven't changed your springs for a lower ride, then use the HD's.

I just put Bilstein's and new tires all the way around on my 1983 300SD. My rational was that I could expect to ride on the new shocks for 10-15 years or maybe more. Do the arithmatic to determine the life cycle cost. It also does not make sense to put your ride, performance, and tires at risk. Think long term $$$ and short term enjoyment.

Let me first say that I am not a mechanic, and I have only been a Mercedes owner for a month, but it seems to me that if KYB are standard on Toyota and Lexus... and Toyota is rated #1 in the world for reliability... you get my point. Anyway, I ordered the Bilsteins from a place in California, just in case all you guys are right, I wanted to be safe. I also found a local Mercedes mechanic with good labor rates to install the Bilsteins when they arrive. I will probably need springs. My car leans towards the drivers side, sometimes.
Jacob Wissler Jrwww.jacobwissler.com

I don't question that Toyota and Lexus are reliable- I drove the same Celica for 14 years until a rust problem forced me to junk it, but the JD Powers reliability ratings are based on the first year of ownership, not long term reliability. The first year reliability has more to do with fit and finish.

The Consumer Reports ratings are more indicative of real reliability, I think. Mercedes, Toyota and Lexus all rank high in the CR ratings. Mercedes biggest problem is the cost of fixing things rather than the longevity of the parts.

KYB may indeed be capable of manufacturing good products, but as a matter of direct experience (including 2 Toyotas, some Hondas, a couple of Nissans, some Mazdas), the longevity was just not there. Why did I buy them? They were cheap, and I had to learn about their longevity the hard way.
They had a tendency to last for 50-60k, which is not horrible, but I have never actually seen a Bilstein wear out yet, even after 125k+. They have always outlasted my ownership of the car.
A factory Boge will often run 100k+.

I doubt consumers would complain at all if they needed new struts/shocks at 60k. They are accustomed to this being a normal interval. Particularly with install labor cost being what they are, this is really not a good long-term investment. I suppose it depends how long you intend to keep the car.

Ride/handling characteristics are somewhat subjective, but KYB has never impressed.